president’s note seminar reports dances with dogs cocker ...bdoc.asn.au/files/newsletters/2011/BDOCNewsletter_v04e03.pdf · Corner Flemington Road and Sandford Street Mitchell ACT

Belconnen Dog Obedience Club Volume E4 Issue E3 AUGUST 2011

president’s note agility matters | seminar reports | dances with dogs

punishment | cocker controversy pet death issues | obedience grades / news2011 training sessions | delta therapy team

bdoc details

BDOC COMMITTEE 20010–11

President

Barbara Brown

Vice-President

Elaine Temby

Treasurer

Maki Koyama

Secretary

Caroline Pappas

Assistant Secretary/Treasurer

Carolyn Shrives

Committee members

Dean Gardiner

Michelle Gilby

Ray Leckie

Anne Lewis

Kate Slater

OFFICE HOURS

Thursdays 7–9 pm

Sundays 9–11 am

ADDRESSCorner Flemington Road and

Sandford Street Mitchell ACT

CONTACT DETAILSPhone

02 6241 7999

Email

[email protected]

Website

www.bdoc.asn.au

Newsletter

[email protected]

GROUND USE ETIQUETTE Use of the grounds is reserved

for financial Club members and their financial dogs who are attending regular classes (at least 75% of the classes). BDOC does not offer ground use only memberships.

No use of grounds during scheduled class times, when a trial is in progress, or when the grounds are otherwise booked. See the notice board for scheduled class times in obedience, agility and flyball.

Training takes precedence at all times – do not allow your dog to distract others.

Do not enter a yard already in use without first checking with the current occupant.

Limit your use to 10 minutes if others are waiting.

Handlers must always have their dogs under control and be able to recall the dog at any time.

Do not permit your dog to run along the fences.

Do not leave your dog unattended.

Always remove your dog’s faeces immediately from the grounds and dispose of them in the bins provided. This includes the car parking areas.

Newsletter contributions CONTRIBUTIONS (photos, stories, advice) ALL VERY WELCOME! If you have information and/or photos you would like included in the next newsletter, email your material to the editor (Pauline) [email protected]

2 BELCONNEN DOG OBEDIENCE CLUB Volume E4 Issue E3. AUGUST 2011

BDOC members attended a workshop at ACT Companion Dog Club which featured Kamal Fernandez from the UK.

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president ’s reportby Barbara Brown

Hello to all members and welcome to our new members who have joined us for Session 3.

Congratulations to everyone who has braved the cold of this winter and continued training their dogs. It certainly has been a real test of how much you care for your dog when you bundle up, leave your warm house and leap into the car for a session of pooch training. Of course our dogs just love to be with us and visit their friends for a night out – they don’t mind if it is cold and frosty and as someone said to me – that warm and fuzzy feeling kept me warm!

Thanks to our devoted volunteers

We do owe a huge vote of thanks to all our instructors and assistants who leave their own dogs at home to help you understand how to train your dog. As they are all volunteers, this is truly a labour of love in Winter.

I have managed to get to a number of agility trials in NSW over the past few months. These trials are often held on council owned ovals and it has again bought it home to me how lucky we are to have our own dedicated grounds and clubhouse. However the maintenance of these assets and the management of members are all undertaken by our volunteer members so please think about helping in some way, however small.

The Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 24 August at 7.30pm in the Clubhouse. This is your club so please come to the meeting. You will meet other members and can have a chat after the brief meeting while you enjoy a cuppa. A number of current committee members are once again standing for the committee as well as a number of members who have not previously held committee positions. However, if you would like to assist your club by coming onto the committee or volunteering some of your time on one of the special work groups then please email me at [email protected].

Impending trials

BDOC is hosting an Agility Trial on Saturday 20 August and an Obedience Trial on Saturday 27 August. If you are interested in obedience trialling or agility, these trials are a great way to see high level performances in these sports. You do have to leave your dog at home as the grounds are brimming with those dogs competing in these sports. But do come along for a visit.

Pauline has once again prepared a newsletter brimming with information about club activities and I hope you enjoy the articles.

Barbara

Volume E4 Issue E3. AUGUST 2011 BELCONNEN DOG OBEDIENCE CLUB 3

obedience seminarsBY J ILL CAMPAIN & ANNE LEWIS

Anne Lewis and I were fortunate

to attended two very interesting

obedience within a few weeks

of each other.

The first one was at Albury in

May. It was organised by the

Albury and Border Kennel Club

and featured Sue Hogben from

Western Australia. The second one

was organised by ACT Companion

Dog Club and featured Kamal

Fernandez from the UK.

Both presenters are very successful

dog trainers. They have very similar

ideas as both acknowledged the

excellent work of the iconic trainer,

Bob Bailey from the USA. Bob Bailey

was frequently quoted as were

Susan Garrett and Greg Derrett.

Sue and Kamal stressed the need

to plan your training and to picture

in your mind what you are trying

to achieve. Break the behaviour

into very small components and

reward with a motivator that ‘floats

the dogs boat’! They both used

games extensively to make training

fun for you and the dog as well as

to train particular behaviours.

Kamal tended to allow the

dog plenty of time to work out

a problem where as Sue tended

to set up the environment so

that the dog was quickly able to

make the correct choices and earn

rewards.

Sue had a very interesting technique

for handler to think about ‘How to

train the opposite of what you want’

This idea was very entertaining and

gave great insight as to why some

dogs lag when we think we are

training them to be at our side!

Sue and Kamal both have

wonderful energy and enthusiasm

for positive training. Both seminars

were well worth attending and

I would certainly recommend that

you to go along to their seminars if

the opportunity arises.

Jill Campain See page 6 for more comments about

the Fernandez workshop


BDOC members attended a workshop in Albury conducted by Sue Hogben

KAMAL FERNANDEZ

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On Saturday, 23 July the annual NSW obedience teams match day was held at the Blacktown Canine City Centre beautiful, but soggy, grounds at Glendenning. In this event NSW clubs nominate teams of obedience triallers who compete against each other for the honour (or headache!) of organising the next year’s match day.

Each team must consist of five separate dogs competing at four different levels. Most teams comprise members of NSW obedience clubs but some teams are made up along breed lines. There were nine breed teams this year including Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Boxers and Bearded Collies. For the past couple of years the NSW Cocker Spaniel Society has also entered a team. Cocker Conspiracy 2011 consisted mostly of BDOC triallers – Elaine Temby with Haylen (Watervaal Winfrey Konexshun) doing CCD, Anne Lewis with

Alvin (Watersmeet Im Harry CDX AD JDX SPD SD GD) and Patricia Looker with Raglan (Ch Robmond Pantheon Blue CD) both in Open, and Patricia’s Kinya (OC Kingsway Double Jeopardy AD JDX) in UD. Elaine also took Hope (Acijay Never Lose Hope) as a reserve. Alana, our team member competing in Novice, comes from Newcastle. We also roped in Liz Giles to do our stewarding duty for us – thanks Liz, you did a great job.

We all competed in different rings against fifteen to twenty other dogs. It was Haylen’s very first time in the obedience ring, but you wouldn’t have known it – he performed with blithe confidence ending up with a very nice score and 3rd place in his ring. Alvin and Coco (Alana’s lad) had a few hairy moments in their performances but overall put some good scores on the board and ended up coming 5th and 10th respectively in their highly contested rings. Kinya, who had

been brought out of retirement to participate, revelled in being back in the ring and showing the youngsters just how it should be done ended up 4th in her ring. Raglan, well the less said the better, he got totally distracted by the smells on the breeze and the activity and ended up coming a sad last in his ring – needless to say he’s in the dog house!

Overall Cocker Conspiracy came a very creditable 10th place out of the 32 teams that competed on the day. Amongst the nine breed teams competing we placed 4th. With so few cockers competing in obedience it’s always a challenge finding dogs at the various levels so we were pretty pleased with our performance. And we had a great day getting together with our cocker mates and enjoying the bottle of wine that is traditionally given to each team at the beginning of the day. A very civilized way to trial!

Patricia Looker

COCKER CONSPIRACY

LEFT TO RIGHT: Elaine with Haylen and Hope, Anne with Alvin, Alana with Coco, Patricia with Kinya and Raglan.


DOG HOMEWORK TIPS


obedience seminarMORE COMMENT BY BDOC ATTENDEES

Thank you to all BDOC members who supplied comments about the Kamal Fernandez workshop. It was obviously inspirational, therefore we have included further comment on this this event.I spent a recent weekend at a Dog

Training workshop run by a great

British dog trainer called Kamal

Fernandez. I got so much out of

it, both for my own training and

competing with my dog, but also

for the obedience classes I teach.

The first key point, I got

out of his worshop;

1. Dogs are masters of body

language. It’s the primary method

of communication that they get

from us, and when training at

a beginners or a higher level,

we need to be conscious of what

information we are giving our

dogs with our body position, feet

and speed. One of the simple

exercises he got us to play was

a game of ‘Simon Says’, in which

we had to give our dogs a verbal

sit command while our hands

were in different positions. Most

dogs were happily following

the cue while our hands were

on our heads, shoulders and

hips, a few started to lie down

when people put their hands

on their knees, and a lot went

into a down when their handlers

put their hands on their feet.

Why is this? Well, of course, when

we first teach puppies a down, we

usually lure them, leaning over, and

using a reward in our hands to get

the pup/dog to lie down. When

asking a dog for a drop/down,

most of us will still lean forward if

we aren’t certain the dog is going

to do it. If we don’t generalise this

enough, and make that our dog

understands the cue properly and

not just the body language, our

dogs will often go into a down

when we lean down over them

(like when we touch our toes!),

despite what other cues they get!

So if your dog isn’t obeying a cue,

think about your body language – is

it different to usual? At home, do

you sit on the floor with them, sit

in a chair, or even have them up on

the furniture with you? What part

of the message have you changed?

▲ Niccola Hardaker

The most valuable thing that I took

away from Kamal’s workshop,

was the power of play. Playing

with your dog builds a dog’s

desire to interact and work

with you. It helps build a dog’s

confidence and drive, which are

fundamental tools for training.

Training a dog to do a specific task

does not have to be a serious affair.

Kamal used several games during

our workshops which had clever

names like ‘eye spy’, ‘give us a clue’,

‘chase the rabbit’, ‘musical chairs’,

‘good-cop, bad-cop’, ‘catch up’, ‘beat

ya’, ‘food circle’ etc. Every single

one of these games was a cleverly

disguised way of teaching a dog

a specific task, or was designed

to build drive and motivation.

I am now using these games

when training my own dogs, and

they love it! All my silver level

students this session, thoroughly

enjoyed playing some of these

games, and they all had fun,

while achieving great results.

▲ Gabe Meyer

I was lucky enough to book

a private lesson with Kamal

following the workshop. This was

his very last session in Canberra

on Monday afternoon and I took

Pepper, my two year old Border

Collie (my 10yo Border, Rosie, had

been with me for the two days of

the seminar which was absolutely

insightful). We went over a number

of things covered during the two

days so I could get everything

clear in my mind, and also make

sure I was doing it correctly with

my dog (the way different dogs

move and behave can require

different training solutions).

The most useful for me was

working on the ‘D’ to position

PHOTO: MAKI KOYAMA


K A M A L F E R N A N D E Z W O R K S H O PC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E

Pepper next to my leg. The D

concept is imagining you are at the

top of the D – for left heel position,

and for right heel position. To get

the dog to come in straight you

initially lure it out in a wide arc

(the belly of the D) and then when

you’re arm is as far behind you as

it can go, draw it forward and this

should bring the dog in straight.

Now, Pepper has been a ‘bum

out’ dog for a long time which

is why I hadn’t done much heel

position with him better not to

do something than to do it badly.

I found that when I started the D,

he was still not coming in straight.

Kamal instantly pointed out that

I needed to go back further a taller

D if you will, even put my leg back

a little for balance if I had too. Then

at the bottom of the ‘D’ I had to

pause to allow him time to swing

his hinny in, before drawing him

up beside me. Once I got myself

in order, this worked a treat.

I haven’t over practiced this (or

bored him to death) – in the six

weeks since Kamals visit. I’ve

probably asked for this 100 times

per side over eight or so practice

sessions with a week or two break

in between (having a break often

increases learning when you

come back to it!). While training

I had treats in the hand ready to

dispense on a click but didn’t use

it in front of his nose as a ‘lure’ after

the first session (and it was smoked

chicken and pork crackling – you

want good effort you need to offer

good payment!) I very much liked

that Kamal was into lots of rewards

to teach behaviour (however,

he did note that I often pay for

things that I shouldn’t and really

should increase my criteria a little

faster, I have worked on this too!).

Pepper is now able to reposition

himself to left or right heel on

a small finger swirl – he literally

rams himself against my leg! I am

now using this same positioning

motion as I start left and right

sideways moves – with Pep

maintaining distance and position.

Kamal is a brilliant observer

and problem solver and I am

fortunate to have been able

to attend the workshop and

have a private lesson. A big

thank you to Tony Turner for

organising the workshop!

▲ Ange Hagedorn

Whilst not fortunate enough

to be able to fill a vacancy for

a private lesson, I was lucky

enough to be able to host Kamal

for dinner along with four other

dog mad ladies. After harassing

Kamal with questions about

whether I should get a Belgian

Malinois or a Border Collie, I had

my first of a series of small but

wonderful moments of clarity

which occurred over the weekend.

Kamal was referring to a dog’s

heirachy of reinforcements and

how I should be able to list them

from 1 to 10 in order of which

was most powerful. Whilst I could

only think of tennis ball, Kong

donut, tug and chicken (my dog

is primarily toy motivated) Kamal

suggested I broaden my ideas of

reinforcement to consider things

like clapping, spins, tactile play and

even the opportunity to go sniff.

Kamal went on to say I needed

to have a clear understanding

of the effect that each of the

reinforcements had on my dog.

For example food generally puts

dogs in a thinking mode, toys

such as tugs are better when

speed or excitement is in order.

Finally Kamal reminded me of the

importance of where you deliver

the reward, and the effect this

will have on your future training.

Dogs that are learning the down

position may be best rewarded

whilst they are in the down

position; not allowed to jump up in

front of you and then be rewarded.

On other occasions you may want

to toss the reward. If say, you are

having trouble teaching a dog to

drop on recall Kamal suggested

throwing the reward from a hand

above your head. This could

become a cue for the dog to stop,

and eventually a cue to drop.

To summarise what Kamal said

about reinforcements – don’t just

give your dog the same pieces

of Schmacko or hotdog all of

the time. Use a broad range of

rewards, understand the effect of

each reward and think about how

you are delivering the reward.

There is so much more to tell

(reinforcement zones, transferring

value and more about Belgian

Malinois’) but the best advice

I can give you is to be sure to

register for Kamals seminar,

should he return to Canberra

again next year. I know I will be.

▲ Cheryl Neal

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAYGot an opinion on this – or any other

dog-related topic? Send your contributions to [email protected]


agi l i ty matters by J ILL CAMPAIN

Congratulations to BDOC Club members who have obtained the following Agility titles.

Agility Dog Master (ADM)

Lucy Williams’ Cavalier King

Charles Cavregis White Knight

(Duke) ADM ADO JDM GD SD SPD

Gamblers Dog (GD)

Anne Lewis’s Cocker Spaniel

Watersmeet I’m Harry (Alvin)

CDX AD JDX GD SD SPD

Barbara Brown’s Kelpie

Dazzle CD AD JDX GD

Jill Campain’s Skye Terrier

Ch Skyeclan Destiny’s Secret

(Levvy) AD JD SPD SD GD

THE GREAT SHED CLEAN UPThanks to Anne Lewis for

organising The Great Shed

Clean Up Day on the 4 June.

The purpose was to take

everything out of the agility/

flyball shed, clean the shed

and equipment then put it all

back again!

The shed is now clean

and neat thanks to Anne

and Simon Lewis, Danny

Galbraith, Lyn Clyde, Cheryl

Neal, Caroline Pappas, Jessica

Sparkes, Barbara Brown and

Jill Campain.

NOTICE OF BDOC AGM 2011The Annual General Meeting of the Belconnen Dog Obedience Club will be held on Wednesday 24 August 2011 at 7.30pm in the Clubhouse.

All financial members are urged to support BDOC and attend this meeting.

Supper will be provided at the finish of the meeting so come and have a chat with other BDOC members.

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PHOTO: LEVVY AND ALVIN

Sue Hogben in action. See the article on page 4 of this newsletter

BIGCONGRATULATIONS TO SUSAN KILLION

AND BUSTER ON GAINING THEIR

JD TITLE


agi l i ty matters by PAM MCDOUGALL

Winter classes have continued on Monday

and Wednesday nights only during session 3.

On Mondays the experienced triallers trained with

the newer novice triallers, whilst on Wednesdays

the class catered for those a bit newer to agility.

On the trialling side, there have been the usual stories

of glory and the one fault runs as well as the total

‘mess up’ runs. At BDOC. A ribbon agility trial was

run in the evening on 18th July. During the winter

months only the Novice. Excellent and Masters

standards are run. In the milder months, an Open

class which involves distance handling is run as well.

The BDOC ribbon jumping trial in September which

will run NEM standards. The ribbon jumping trial

on our grounds in November will include Open.

The club is running an Agility and Jumping trial

on Saturday 20 August. This will run for most of

the day and usually attracts an entry from triallers

from further afield than the local area. Charlie Giles

is our trial manager and Lucy Williams, a recently

qualified judge and BDOC member, will judge with

Bill Almond. Charlie will be looking for stewards very

soon. For anyone who is fairly new to agility, or who

has a dog on the waiting list, it is a great opportunity

to learn more about this exciting dog sport. Charlie’s

email address is [email protected].

The rules for agility have recently seen some

changes. Our see saws and collapsible tunnels

(chutes) will need some surgery. There will

not be changes before the August trial, but

handler teams will have time to readjust to the

equipment changes before they are mandatory.

As usual, we thank all our instructors for their

time and energy given to the classes and wish all

competitors runs which give them and their canine

partner some fun and a measure of success.

Pam McDougall

Three keen BDOC members entered the Agility and Jumping Trial at Tuggeranong Dog Training Club on 23 July. Lucy Williams (from BDOC) was the judge for all the Jumping events.

Jess Sparkes and Toby hit the contact on the scramble (A-frame)

Geoff Woodman and Xanthe going through the weave poles

Barbara and Dazzle heading for the finish under the close eye of judge Lucy Williams

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BRONZENikki McLean and Tessa

Anita Kennedy and Fergie

Samantha Hoy and Saphie

Felicia Tracey and Ruby

Alison Lawrence and Poppy

Shirley Lamb and Molly

Ashley Black and Coco

Janine Hughes and Tayla

BRONZEDaniel Berthon and Malo

Alex Mironov and Shyla

Phil Letki and Doogle

Joshua McParlin and Ellie

Denise Cowling and Boston

Rhiannon Coulton and Obi

Jenny Greenwood and Bella

Corrina Wiggins and Patch

BRONZEMimi and Coco

Damien Adler and Bentley

Julie McGowen and Frankie

Bev Obringer and Cacher

SILVER Eleanor Donley and Indie

Kimberley Shrives and Pia

Antonella Sassu and Charli

Dan Montgomery and Hoover

SESSION 2 PASSES

BY KATE SLATER

canine companion c lasses


Photo: BDOC instructors supported the RSPCA 2011 Million Paws Walk in May

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canine companion c lasses


therapy dogsby NICCOLA HARDAKER

Last year I made some inquiries

about becoming a Delta Therapy

team. I thought the idea of

visiting the sick and the elderly

to share my dog with them was

a lovely idea. So at the end of

last year Shandy, my Welsh Corgi

(Cardigan) girl, and I travelled

up to Sydney for the assessment

day. The assessment was quite

brief, including elements such as

a check on very basic obedience

skills, like walking nicely on

a leash, as well as how well the

dog reacted to being in a noisy

crowd and around equipment like

wheelchairs and crutches. Given

that it’s important for you and your

dog to work as a team, you are

encouraged to talk to and reassure

your dog during the exercises.

We passed with flying colours

and a few weeks later returned

for my (human only) training

day. We covered some basic

components designed to help

us when visiting hospitals and

aged care facilities, and got

some inspiring presentations

from existing therapy dog

handlers on the joy they bring.

Recently Shandy and I were

assigned to our facility, Bupa

at Aranda, and we’re making

fortnightly visits there on Tuesday

afternoons. Shandy has been

wonderful with the residents, and

it’s truly lovely to see their faces

light up when they spot Shandy

coming through the door. Some of

them already remembered her and

were greeting her by name, with

huge smiles by the second visit.

Many love to pat her, running their

fingers through her fur quietly,

while others are already asking to

see her do tricks. We hear stories

about the dogs they’ve owned

before, and what they liked to do

together, but I’m largely just the

person on the end of the leash,

escorting the star of the show,

Shandy. It’s a hugely rewarding

thing to do with your dog, if you

can spare a few hours on a regular

basis. If you’re interested in finding

out more about being a Delta

Therapy Team, feel free to ask

me when you see us around the

club, or contact our local Delta

representative, Annie Kenning

on: Mobile: 0431 585 702

Email:

[email protected]

or visit the Delta website at:

www.deltasociety.com.au/home

Niccola and Shandy – our Delta Therapy Team

obdience tr ia l newsby PATRIC IA LOOKER

Congratulations to:

Anne Lewis and her Cocker

Spaniel, Alvin

(Watersmeet Im Harry CDX AD JDX

SPD SD) on attaining their CDX title

BDOC March Trial – Open

180 points and 1st (and title pass)

TDTC April Trial – Open

170 points and 1st

Charlie Giles and his Tibetan

Terrier, Ruffy

(Ch Tybeterr Break the Ice CCD)

BDOC March Trial – Novice

187 points and 2nd

Gabrielle Myer and her Poodle

x Spaniel, Charlie CCD

BDOC March Trial

Charlie won the prize for the

highest scoring BDOC member

in the Novice class. Charlie put

on a lovely performance, but in

the last exercise forgot how to do

the drop at a distance. Better luck

next time Gabrielle and Charlie.

Patricia Looker and her

Cocker Spaniel, Raglan

(Robmond Pantheon Blue CD)

on attaining their CD title

Albury March Trial – Novice

188 points and 1st

BDOC March Trial – Novice

190 points and 1st

TDTC April Trial – Novice

178 points and 1st

Emma Osborn and her Australian

Shepherd, Ava

(Brandyark Mists of Avalon)

on attaining their CCD title

BDOC March Trial – CCD

96 points and 1st

Ava also won the prize for the

highest scoring BDOC member in

the CCD class

TDTC March Trial – CCD

94 points and 1st

ACT Titles May Trial – CCD

93 points and 2nd

Emma Osborn and her

Australian Shepherd, Ava

(Brandyark Mists of Avalon)

CDC June Trial – Novice

189 points and 2nd

Queanbeyan July Trial – Novice

186 points and 2nd

Poppy Maclean and her

Bouvier des Flanders, Eepie

(Ch Ieper-Rilla vd Arkiv CD)

Queanbeyan July Trial – Open

190 points and 1st

Werner Roth and his Border

Collie, Marty (Ancrum

Bend in the Road)

CDC June Trial – CCD

95 points and 2nd

Queanbeyan July Trial – CCD

96 points and 2nd

OTHER MEMBERS FLYING THE BDOC FLAG IN THE OBEDIENCE TRIAL RING ARE:

Jenny Thistleton and her

Poodle X, Sassy, in CCD

Niccola Hardaker and her Welsh

Corgi, Shandy (Ch Milnholm

Carnival Queen CCD), in Novice

Cheryl Neale and her Kelpie

cross, Jet CD, in Open

Werner Roth and his Nova

Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever,

Max (Fionavar Hawker Hunter

CDX AD JD), in UD

If I have left you out of the

Trialing News, my apologies.

Contact me and I will include

your achievements in the next

issue of the Newsletter.

The next obedience trial to

be held in the ACT region will

be at BDOC on 27 August

If you want to see what

obedience trials are all about,

come and have a look BUT

come without your dogs. Only

competing dogs are allowed

on the grounds on trial days.


Werner and the boys (Marty and Max) relax at the CDC trial

O B E D I E N C E T R I A L N E W SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


Cheryl and Jet complete the first part of the distance exercise in Open.

Anne’s Alvin returns over the jump with the dumbbell in Open.

Nice recall signal, Gabrielle and a lovely response from CharlieWerner and Max lay the track for the seekback in the Utility class

Emma and Ava discuss their first Novice pass.

Raglan earns his third Novice pass.

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rev is ion of bdoc annual awards

At the end of year award presentations, BDOC honours members by presenting a variety of awards and trophies. The Committee has revised the awards for 2011, deleting some and adding others to make the awards more relevant to our syllabus.

We now have specific awards for those members training their dogs in the Canine Companion Levels (Beginners to Gold levels) as well as those awards for members training and trialling in ANKC dog sports streams.

The 2011 annual awards are as follows:

BDOC CANINE COMPANION LEVEL AWARDS 2011

BEST LADY HANDLER

This award is given to the lady who in the opinion of a majority of the Committee has shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and has made commendable progress as a team throughout the year. All ladies over the age of 17 years are eligible for this award provided the dog has been trained in any Canine Companion level during the award year and they are still a financial member of BDOC at 31 October of the year of presentation.

BEST GENTLEMAN HANDLER

This award is given to the gentleman who in the opinion of a majority of the Committee has shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and has made commendable progress as a team throughout the year. All gentlemen over the age of 17 years are eligible for this award provided the dog has been trained in any Canine Companion level during the award year and they are still a financial member of BDOC at 31 October of the year of presentation.

BEST JUNIOR HANDLER

This award is given to the junior member under the age of 18 years who in the opinion of a majority of the Committee has shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and has made commendable progress as a team throughout the year. Junior members of the Club are eligible for all other awards, but it is recognised that there may be difficulties when it comes to competing equally with adults. Hence all Club members under 18 years of age will be considered for this award provided the dog has been trained in any Canine Companion level during the award year and they are still a financial member of BDOC at 31 October of the year of presentation.

PRESIDENT’S TROPHY

The award was introduced by the President in 1990 to encourage members to continue with dog obedience training after they have had a promising obedience dog which has been accidentally killed, or put down for medical reasons. (This does not apply if the dog has been destroyed for social purposes). The award is given only at the President’s discretion. To be eligible the recipient must have been a financial member of BDOC since 1 July the previous year (eg. To be eligible for the 1990 Presentation Day award the recipient must have been a financial member since 1 July


rev is ion of bdoc annual awards

1998) and the dog must have been trained at BDOC during that period. Members and Committee may nominate dogs for the President’s final consideration at any time during the year

MOST IMPROVED DOG AWARD

A dog which in the opinion of the committee has had difficulty in the early stages of training but has gone on to achieve good results in later work.

CHAMBERLAIN AWARD (OR

PERSEVERANCE AWARD)

This Award is presented to a member of BDOC who have a difficult dog and have persevered with training over period of year/s but never seems to achieve any great results. Not to be seen so much as a reward for perseverance but more as an acknowledgement and recognition of their dedication to the training of their difficult dog.

BDOC OBEDIENCE AWARDS ALICE

PETERSEN TROPHY

This trophy is presented to a BDOC dog which achieves the single highest score at any ANKC trial during the year (1 November to 31 October) towards their CCD title. This score and trial certificate must be recorded in the Obedience scores file in the clubhouse. The dog must have been trained at BDOC and the handler a financial member of BDOC at the time of achieving the score and still be a member at 31 October of the year of presentation.

STEVIE/TESSA

PERPETUAL NOVICE SCORE TROPHY

This trophy was established by Barbara and the late Con Williamson to be presented to a BDOC Novice Dog, Bitch or Associate which achieves the single highest score at any official novice (CD) trial during the year (1 November to 31 October) towards their CD. This score and trial certificate must be recorded in the Obedience scores file in the clubhouse. The dog must have been trained at BDOC and the handler a financial member of BDOC at the time of achieving the score and still be a member at 31 October of the year of presentation. The Committee in office is to determine if, in their opinion, the highest eligible score is of sufficient merit to warrant special recognition for excellence and thus be worthy of this perpetual trophy. The Williamson’s recommended that only scores of 190 or over be considered.

FORSVAR OBEDIENCE TROPHY FOR

BEST OPEN DOG OF THE YEAR

The trophy is to be awarded to the dog with the highest total points scored in the Open Class (CDX) at any five official trials conducted anywhere in Australia during the period 1 November to 31 October. In the event that more than one dog qualifies for the award of the trophy in any one year, (i.e., scores are equal) each dog may have its name engraved on the trophy. At least three of the scores counted must be qualifying scores. Registered and Associate dogs are eligible. All scores counted are to be gained while the owner is a club member. All trial scores and

trial certificates must be recorded in the Obedience scores file in the clubhouse.

QUARRIEMAC OBEDIENCE TROPHY

FOR BEST UTILITY DOG OF THE

YEAR

This trophy is to be awarded to a dog trialling in the Utility Class who has achieved a pass, a UD title or, in the case of an already titled dog, has displayed a consistent performance during the award year. In the event that more than one dog qualifies for the award, the Committee in office is to determine which handler/dog team warrants special recognition and thus be worthy of this perpetual trophy. To be eligible the recipient must have been a financial member of BDOC since 1 July the previous year (eg. to be eligible for the 2009 Presentation Day award the recipient must have been a financial member since 1 July 2008)

OBEDIENCE DOG OF THE YEAR

This is the most prestigious award the Club can bestow in obedience. The criteria for this award are that the dog must have been outstanding in its performance in obedience trialling and brought credit to the Club; the handler must have been active in the Club and contributed towards the running of the Club during the year; the handler and the dog must have been a financial member for the whole year of the award; and the handler and the dog must have trained at the club for the whole year.

Recipients of the ODOTY shall not receive this award more than once.

R E V I S I O N O F B D O C A N N U A L A W A R D SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


BDOC AGILITY AWARDS

2011AGILITY ENCOURAGEMENT

HANDLER AWARD

This award acknowledges a handler and their dog who have either not yet entered agility trials or not received an ANKC agility qualification but have shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and have made commendable progress. The interaction and relationship between the handler and their dog is an important consideration.

BDOC NOVICE AGILITY DOG OF THE

YEAR AWARD

This award is for the dog that gains the highest places in its passes towards its ANKC Novice Agility and Novice Jumping titles. To be eligible for this award, the last pass of the second title must be gained in the period 1st November (of the previous year) to 31st October of the Award year, regardless of the year the previous passes were gained.

BDOC EXCELLENT AGILITY DOG OF

THE YEAR AWARD

This award is for the dog that gains the highest places in its passes towards its ANKC Excellent Agility and Excellent Jumping titles. To be eligible for this award, the last pass of the second title must be gained in the period 1st November (of the previous year) to 31st October of the Award year, regardless of the year the previous passes were gained.

BDOC AGILITY DOG OF THE YEAR

AWARD

This is the most prestigious award the Club can bestow in agility. The criteria for this award are that the dog must have been outstanding

in its performance in agility trialling and brought credit to this club; the handler must have been active in the club and contributed towards the running of the club during the year; the handler & the dog must have been a financial member for the whole year of the award; and the handler and the dog must have trained at the club for the whole year.

Recipients of the ADOTY shall not receive this award more than once.

BDOC FLYBALL AWARDS

2011FLYBALL ENCOURAGEMENT

AWARD

This award acknowledges a beginner handler and their dog who have not yet entered a flyball competition but have shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and have made commendable progress. The interaction and relationship between the handler and their dog is an important consideration.

This award is determined by flyball coaching staff.

FLYBALL MOST IMPROVED AWARD

This award acknowledges a handler and their dog who are in their first year of racing competitively and have shown dedication and commitment to the training of their dog and have made commendable progress. The interaction and relationship between the handler and their dog is an important consideration.

This award is determined by flyball coaching staff

FLYBALL DOG OF THE YEAR

This is the most prestigious award the Club can bestow in flyball. The criteria for this award are that the dog must have been outstanding in its performance in flyball competition and brought credit to the Club; the handler must have been active in the Club and contributed towards the running of the Club during the year; the handler & the dog must have been a financial member for the whole year of the award; and the handler and the dog must have trained at the club for the whole year.

Recipients of the FDOTY shall not receive this award more than once.

R E V I S I O N O F B D O C A N N U A L A W A R D SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


Open comp place getters at QDTC – Dai Thomas and Bonnie, 2nd (NQ), Poppy Maclean with Eepie, 1st (190), Cheryl Neal and Jet (3rd NQ)

BDOC place getter group with Emma Osborne and Ava who came second (Q) in Novice.

PHO

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PO

PPY

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AN

Paul and Megan Walters of Aussie Pooch Mobile West Belconnen took time out to answer a few questions about dog grooming.

1. Where do you most frequently find knots in the dogs’ coats.Behind the ears, the back legs, and painfully on the abdomen where knots actually twist the skin when the dog walks..

2. For dogs that are ‘hard to handle’ do you have any tips.Adopt a calm assertive manner. Take time to make them comfortable. It is important that you relax or the dog will pick up on your stress.

3. What could pet owners do (with their pets) to make your job easier.Regular brushing to keep the coat in good condition and handling of the dogs feet so the dog is used to this when we cut the nails.

Also the dog will cope better while

we wash it if the owner is relaxed.

4. Are there any products

used (no brand names) that

you wish pet handlers

would NOT use

Organophosphates, any product

with ‘poison’ on the label, human

shampoos and detergents. They

are harsh on the dog’s coat and

skin. There are a host of more

natural products that can be used.

5. Are there any products used

(no brand names) that you wish

pet handlers WOULD use

Use the right grooming

tool for the right coat.

6. Particular tips for looking after

ears and eyes while washing dogs.

Small breeds tend to require eyes

wiped daily with a baby wipe. This

will reduce tear stain and make

cleaning of the area easier at bath

time. For ears, keep the stream

of water away from ear canal

during the wash. Similarly, if using

a dryer, keep the air flow away

from the inner ear. To clean dirt

build-up, again use a baby wipe.

7. Any tips on nail trimming

are always useful.

If the nails are black just cut the

tips as you can’t see where the

nerve is. If the nails are white, you

can see the nerve which is pink. If

this is cut, the dog will bleed and

it will hurt. If this occurs, rub a cake

of soap over the wound to stop

bleeding. When trimming nails,

hold the paw firmly. Confidence

is a must as your dog will pick-up

if you’re nervous.. All our staff are

trained to provide a complete

service including nail clipping

grooming quest ions


PHOTO: PAUL & MEGAN WALTERS. AUSSIE POOCH MOBILE WEST BELCONNEN

happy feetby ANGELA HAGEDORN

On Sunday 24 July fi ve Canberra handlers and six dogs headed up to the Erskine Park Canine Complex in Sydney for their fi rst ever Dances with Dogs (DWD) competition. It was a very early start (5.30am departure) however, the sunshine and t-shirt weather in Sydney more than compensated! The comp was a double header,

that is both a morning and

afternoon session, with 22 entries

in total. It was a great day for

all, irrespective of placings, as

we all came away having learnt

something. It was also great to

have so many from Canberra at

the comp. DWD Canberra started

just over a year ago (thanks to the

hard work of Tony Turner at CDC)

and we train in a pavilion out at

the Queanbeyan showgrounds.

We are a relatively small but very

supportive group and have a great

attitude towards training our dogs

with positive motivation (believe

me, there is no other way to teach

dogs such a range of moves!).

DWD has two disciplines

Heelwork to Music (HTM) and

Freestyle. In these there are

several levels: Starter, Novice,

Intermediate, Advanced and

Champion. As with obedience

trials, you need to gain 3 passes at

each level to attain a ‘title’, except

for Starters where you only need

two passes. Judging is by a panel

of three judges with 60 marks

total divided evenly between:

• Routine Content – variation,

diffi culty, teamwork.

• Technical Merit – accuracy

of moves and fl ow, quality of

moves in respect of

mistakes/refusals,

willingness, (and for

HTM only, accuracy

of heelwork).

Musical

Interpretation

– choreography,

routine concept,

use of space and

costume (costumes

are only worth

two points and

dogs can only

wear a decorative/

co-ordinated

neck collar or

scarf and a buckle collar).

For Freestyle work you can choose

to do just about anything in your

routine. In HTM, 60% of your

routine must be in a heelwork

position. But that doesn’t mean

‘heeling’ at the left – the dog

can be across the front of your

body facing left or right, or

similarly behind you, at your right

facing forwards or backwards

and at left facing forwards or

backwards. That’s eight diff erent

positions! It makes it a lot of

fun to teach and really focuses

on the dogs (and handlers)

understanding of positioning.

Some of these heelwork positions

can be seen in the pictures of my

routines, along with some fun

moves. Some moves just ‘happen’

when you are experimenting.

When I was asking Pepper to go

‘through’ my legs, he decided to

bounce up at my hand afterwards,

so this became a whole new move

and really adds some pizzazz. The

hard part is coming up with new

words for the 100 or so moves we

have (and making sure they are

clearly distinguishable!) along with

me having to remember them all!

It’s very useful to watch some other

competitors. There are no end of

postings on YouTube (all six of my

videos have been posted – just look

for Adorn71). We also have regular

workshops in Canberra which are

always great learning experiences.

Over the past few months we have

had Vicki Etherington, who has a

great dance background, Loretta

Rabbitt (of Loretta’s Performing


PHOTOS: ANGELA HAGEDORN

D A N C E S W I T H D O G SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E

Poodles – some of you may know

Chloe from the Nissan X-trail

Commercial) and Kamal Fernandez,

who I have to thank for Pepper’s

emerging hind end awareness!

The biggest challenge was proofing

our routines. We were in a new place

(most of our dogs didn’t even get a

chance to go into the competition

room before our first performance)

and you compete facing the

judges’ table and audience – that’s

20 or so people all sitting right

outside a little lattice fence looking

at your dog! This was without

doubt the greatest challenge in

keeping our dog’s attention.

Rosie and Pepper qualified in all

six of their routines. Rosie gained

her HTM Starters Title and Freestyle

Starters Title (1st place in both)

and Pepper gained his Freestyle

Starters Title (with one 3rd placing).

Fellow BDOC instructor (and

travelling companion on the day)

Niccola Hardaker and her Welsh

Corgi, Shandy, also competed in the

Freestyle starters (am and pm). In all,

it was a great result for the Canberra

troupe with many qualifying with

at least one of their routines.

Unfortunately with six routines,

(and the accompanying six

costume changes and having

to amuse and prepare dogs in

between) I didn’t get to watch

many of the other routines. Maki

Koyama was kind enough to travel

up just to video and watch – so

at least I will be able to see the

other Canberra performances.

A big thank you to Maki!

Relaxing

For me the most valuable aspect

was that I went out there being

a little nervous and Rosie didn’t

give a hoot – and got even more

relaxed as the routines piled

up (something to be said for

doing lots of routines – the later

ones were definitely better!).

Rosie, from just lead pulls early

on in her obedience career, won’t

go near me when we attempt

obedience trial work. For two years

she has never had a reprimand

(not even a bad word) in training

and yet the memory lingers!

Luckily she just loves DWD and all

the clicks and treats she can earn!

I initially just took Rosie along

to DWD to accompany Pepper.

She will be 10 next month, had

OCD in both shoulders and two

operations when she was just 12

months old and both her back

flexor tendons ruptured just over

three years ago, she has certainly

become the star of the family!

(Rosie also LOVES clapping, so this

was such a positive for her at both

the start and end of the routine.)

Obviously I was very happy with

ribbons and trophies to boot. Not

sure how long that will last once

I have to dust them?. However,

the real joy is working with Rosie

and Pep – I have to stop myself

OFTEN and just say, wow, haven’t

we come a long way! I mean, just

over a year ago I had one ‘heel’

position, a spin in one direction

and a rollover and a few cutsey

tricks and the OB stuff AND a dog

that wouldn’t come near me in

a ring – now, well, I have a garage

wall full of posters with position

diagrams just so I can remember

to train and do everything! It was

so gratifying to see Rosie soooooo

happy. The only downside is that

I spend about $30 a week at the

Belconnen deli on smoked meats!

So if you are looking for something

different and as challenging

as you want to make it, have

chat to Niccola Hardaker, Maki

or myself. If you’d like to give

DWD a go the next beginners

session starts mid-August.)

Happy training!

Angela (Rosie and Pepper)

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAYGot an opinion on this – or any other

dog-related topic? Send your contributions to [email protected]


PHO

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NG

LEA

HA

GED

ORN

pain is so c lose to p leasure - NOTby ANGELA HAGEDORN

I was at the hairdresser the other day (bear with me, this is about dog training!), lying back at the basin getting my hair washed and enjoying the massage, then ‘ouch’, my hair got pulled. I got an apology and relaxed back

into the massage for a few more

minutes, then ‘ouch’, another pull

and another apology. However,

now I couldn’t relax anymore.

I also couldn’t enjoy the massage

as I was tense and anxious. I was

lying there waiting for the next

pull. My entire focus was on

waiting for the next bit of pain.

Minutes ticked by, my anxiety was

increasing, and I just wanted it to

be over so I didn’t get hurt again

and could get away and relax.

Then I had a LIGHT BULB moment.

I have read over and over again

that you shouldn’t mix punishment

with positive methods in your

training – every worthy dog

trainer from Karen Pryor to Kathy

Sdao and Ian Dunbar will tell you

this. However, while I understood

the scientific reasoning for this

and certainly appreciated the

concept, I now realise my lack of

personal experience had limited

my understanding – I didn’t ‘feel it’.

My experience at the hairdresser

really hit home – it didn’t matter

that 99.9% of the experience was

nice, very pleasurable even. Those

little moments of pain overrode

my ability to enjoy the experience

and I just wanted it to be over. But

I am nothing if not polite, so I lay

there tense and unhappy. I am

sure this is something most dogs

can relate to extremely well. One

minute having treats put in front

of their noses and nice words, the

next getting yanked or yelled at

or worse. It doesn’t even matter if

the ‘pain’ isn’t particularly painful

– my yanks were less than a split

second and really hurt less than

a paper cut – it is the distrust and

state of constant fear and anxiety

that arose that is the real issue.

Now think how many times you yank

on your dog’s leash or meet out other

forms of punishment each day?

You also need to know that when

you are chastising or punishing

your dog it is REALLY hard for them

to work out what they have done

wrong. To them, punishment is

just as likely to be a random (if

often) thing that you do – their

only recourse is to be anxious and

nervous around you. I am sure

I would have had half my hair

pulled out to work out whether I

had been lying crooked, maybe

twitching my left foot, perhaps

I was tapping a finger, was I

tapping my finger too much, too

little, too high – shoot me now!

To train successfully using

punishment is far harder

than training using positive

methods. The methodology is

somewhat similar: mark incorrect

behaviour (warn), pause (see if

it stops), punish (enough to be

a deterrent). If you can show

me someone that punishes

using the correct principles

I will show you a flying pig.

However, unlike positive

reinforcement where rewards

will ultimately get more of the

behaviour you like (even when

you are a little inconsistent or

your timing is sometimes off )

with punishment you have to

correct each and every unwanted

component – that would mean

every time your dog takes a step

the wrong way or sits crooked

(that might mean 20 x to get

one correct sit) – and even when

done correctly it takes a long

time (if ever) for the dog to work

out exactly what action is being

punished AND to try to work

out what it should do instead.

It is, without doubt, a bad option

with a lot of pain for little gain.

We have learnt so much over

the past century on behaviour

(and much more just in the past

20–30 years), that to fall back

to such a caveman mindset of

force and pack hierarchy is just

criminal. Sure, a covered wagon


HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADINGP A I N I S C L O S E T O P L E A S U R E – N O TC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


and horses gets you from a to

b eventually but wouldn’t you

rather take the Landcruiser?

Punishment will more than likely

leave you with a very anxious

dog (and there are a lot of

anxiety-related illnesses to hit

you in the hip pocket), possible

aggression because they are

living in a state of anxiety, fear

and anger (you know how you

feel when the boss is always

coming down on you), learning

behaviours is far slower (this has

been proven through too many

studies to list), and your dog may

just shut down from offering

any behaviour at all, hoping to

avoid making a mistake – what

a nice way to live. Is this what you

wanted from your relationship

when you got your dog?

So you might now be thinking

that you are mostly nice to your

dog, but sometimes he needs

a smack for jumping up or not

sitting or whatever. Just re-read

the first para of this article – you

CANNOT enjoy something

when you are anxious, fearful or

stressed. That means your dog

will not like working with you, he

won’t enjoy the training process

and he will be looking to ‘escape’

either physically or mentally. Is

this the state of mind you want

when your dog is with you?

Many trainers (myself included!)

get frustrated when on the

grounds as they have a dog that

works well at home and becomes

oblivious at the Club. They might

therefore be harsher with the

dog trying to bully attention.

However, this will just make the

dog like working at the club

even less, increase avoidance

tactics, and he may then direct

this anxiety and anger to the

other dogs around him. Sound

familiar? We need to build up

behaviours in an environment

where the dog is able to focus

on us and the rewards we offer

– expecting more is like expecting

a baby to get up and walk.

I recently watched a snippet

from a PhD researcher looking

at learning and behaviour. The

footage was of a fairly young

well adjusted dog who was

clicker trained to go and touch

a wastepaper bin – one bin was

on the right and another bin on

the left, returning to the trainer

who was in the middle for the

treat. The dog went to both

bins on cue happily and easily,

earning clicks and rewards. The

trainer then ‘hurried’ the dog

back from the left bin just a few

times (tugging on the lead) and

then did many more repetitions

without the tug. However, this

was clearly a punishment to

the dog who, even after many

positive only repetitions, no longer

wanted to go to the left bin. He

hesitated or went slowly and

unenthusiastically and even tried

going to the right side bin instead,

which had only ever had positive

associations. That is how easily and

quickly you can wreck a behaviour.

On a side note, something else

occurred to me during my light

bulb moment which we often find

happens to our dogs yet leaves

us scratching our heads saying

‘I don’t know why he doesn’t like

so and so’. On the ‘pulling’ occasion

my hair was being washed by

a young (to me anyway!) male.

This in itself wouldn’t ordinarily

have mattered. However, ‘many’

years ago at another hairdresser

I had my scalp burnt with a blow-

dryer (not badly but it did hurt) by

another young male hairdresser.

So guess what? Now I have a

PHOBIA. Yup. Me, a logical human,

after two experiences, is likely

to have a fit next time a young

male hairdresser heads my way.

Now, I must point out too, that

I am sure I have had numerous

female hairdressers hurt me

in the past, but my response

comes down to the numbers. The

difference is that I have had about

250 female hairdressers. So if 2 or

even 5 had caused pain, that’s still

a very low percentage, compared

to what I think would be 2 out of

4 or so male hairdressers. Luckily

I am human and I have choices

and can say ‘no way Jose’ next time

a male hairdresser heads my way.

If I was a dog I would likely cringe,

try to warn them off and failing

all else, bite. And we wonder why

our dogs get ‘sudden’ phobias.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

Make sure your dog has hundreds of

good experiences so he can shrug off

the few bad ones that will happen

and just make sure that you aren’t

the cause of the bad experiences!

Another component of this

pain/pleasure cycle is one of

consequences. Continuing with

my life story (and no, I don’t

spend my entire salary on

beauty treatments!) I was at the

beautician having a rather painful

and unpleasant procedure (one

of many offered by the ‘beauty’

industry) and when it came time

to pay, I was quite delighted to

hand over few hundred dollars.

Why? Because it meant that the

unpleasant painful stuff was over

– paying signalled an end to

discomfort and therefore gave

me a happy emotional response.

Similarly, I’ve had a massage

where I’ve almost resented

paying because it meant the end

of an enjoyable experience.

It is ALWAYS the consequences

– what comes SECOND ‘infects’

what goes before – for both us

and dogs. What does this mean

in your training? Don’t give the

treat before the yukky thing

as this will infect backwards

– worst case scenario is that

your dog will ‘dislike’ food treats

altogether – they become tainted

because they’ve been associated

with a negative emotion.

Training examples are:

‘Come’.

Bad consequence: calling

‘come’, treating and putting

straight in bath.

Good consequence: calling ‘come’

treating and putting in room for

5 minutes. Pick dog up and as

uneventfully as possible put him

in the bath. Once finished, several

super yummy treats (can treat as

well for good behaviour in bath)

game of tug and lots of cuddles.

Putting on the collar.

Bad consequence: put on

collar followed by session in

learning to ‘walk’ with associated

confusion and yanks (by both

dog pulling and owner pulling).

Good consequence: put on

collar followed by dinner and

collar removed immediately

after; then after one week move

to lead put on, throw treats

with lead on unheld, etc.

Sit or down.

Bad consequence: ‘sit’ or ‘down’

then prodding and pushing the

dog into position or physically

correcting a not straight position.

Good consequence: lure ‘sit’ or

‘down’ once or twice, treat (or

preferably mark and treat) and

dog should very quickly repeat

behaviour. If not straight move off

and try again or set up in place

where dog can be successful.

For non-training stuff (i.e., bathing,

medicines, etc), do what you have

to do, with as little fuss as possible.

After the ‘bad’ stuff is finished,

zip out your super yummy treat

‘oooohhhh, look, yummy treat’ to

‘infect’ backwards to the procedure.

Try clipping your dog’s nails – just

one paw or even one nail to start,

just before you present his dinner.

The joy of the dinner afterwards

will infect the emotion associated

with the nail clipping process.

[AND FOR THOSE OF YOU IN BUSINESS,

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS THAT

IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS OFFERING

PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCES, GET YOUR

CLIENTS TO PAY UP FRONT – THEN

THE PLEASURE (CONSEQUENCE) WILL

‘INFECT’ THE PAYMENT EMOTION AND

THAT IS THE MEMORY THEY WILL TAKE

AWAY. CONVERSELY, IF THE EXPERIENCE

WILL BE UNPLEASANT, PAYING

AFTERWARDS IS THE WAY TO GO.]

When you use positive training

methods, particularly using

the mark and reward method

(i.e., click and treat), the treat

infects the clicker which infects

the cue – the cue becomes like

a treat in itself. So when you say

‘sit’, the emotion that goes with

that word is one of pleasure and

contentment and happiness.

However, just like with the

hairdresser, throwing in one or

two even minor corrections can

poison a behaviour or a cue. ‘Sit’

followed by a yank or push will

very quickly become an unpleasant

word and rather than happening

faster to avoid the punishment,

the dog will more likely avoid

doing the behaviour altogether.

As a communicator with another

species, before you choose your

course, at the very least know

what you want to achieve, what

your choices are and how to use

them correctly and that they

are based on sound science.

A couple of further

reading links below:

http://sciencedawg.posterous.

com/effectiveness-of-aversive-

v-reward-based-trai

www.clickertraining.

com/node/1469

Angela Hagedorn

Clicks n treats!

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


P A I N I S C L O S E T O P L E A S U R E – N O T

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAYGot an opinion on this – or any other dog-related topic? Send your contributions to [email protected]

HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADING • HEADING

dealing with the death of a pet

“Pet owners all too often delay the decision to end a pet’s life, because they just can’t bring themselves to do it. We all wish our old pets would just die peacefully in a favourite spot in the sun, so that we don’t have to make the decision to end it for them. It rarely happens that way however, and when it does, it may be that the pet has been suffering discomfort or distress for some time. Kinder perhaps to give them a last gentle kiss on the head, fondle their ears and let them slip peacefully away to wherever it is that all pets go at the end of this life.”

Lorraine HamiltonMANAGER, RSPCA LAUNCESTON TASMANIA

Probably the hardest – yet kindest

decision we will make for a pet

in its whole life is when to let

go, and ease the pet on its way

when there is no real quality to

life for that pet. We can prevent

our pets suffering, and end their

lives with peace and dignity

and lots of love around them.

I have had many people say

over the years that they couldn’t

possibly be with their pet when

the vet was performing the

euthanasia, yet that is exactly

where they should be*. The pet

knows and trusts them, and

their presence is going to make

the process much easier on the

pet, if there is a special person

there, holding their head, while

they take their final breath. It is

generally such a peaceful, quick,

humane end to life. In fact, I think

we owe it to our pets to be with

them at the end*. I also think it is

beneficial to the human – as much

as it is such a hard thing to do, it

allows them to see that the pet

slips away quickly and with a last

sigh, their suffering is at an end.

[*If you can remain calm and not get upset

then being present at the time of euthanasia

will keep the pet relaxed, however if it is too

upsetting for you, don’t do it – you will upset

yourself, your pet and the vet staff. Editor]

All of us have said, at the death of

a much loved pet, ‘never again’ –

we feel that we can’t put ourselves

through the grief of losing

another. But the fact is that most

companion animals do not live as

long as humans, and so it is likely

that we will love and say goodbye

to quite a number of pets during

our lifetimes. There are some things

I want to say about that. Firstly, the

grieving we go through at the end

of their lives is the price we pay for

the privelege of sharing our lives

with them. That’s as it should be.

The time people need between

losing a pet and bringing another

into the home is very personal,

and will be different for everyone.

Some will need five years to ‘get

over’ the loss and feel ready to

have another pet, for others, the

absolute best thing they can do

for their household – the humans

and other animals – is bring

another pet in very soon. After

21 years with RSPCA I have seen

thousands of pets in need of good,

caring, responsible owners. None

of them will ‘replace’ the recently

lost pet, but they don’t need to.

They bring with them their own

personality and special qualities,

and they need someone to care for

them. If anything, I always think it

is a compliment to their recently

deceased pet, that their humans

enjoyed having a pet in their

lives so much that they want to

immediately open their homes and

their hearts to another. Personally,

I look at it now that I have loved

and cared for my pets very well

during their lifetime, have not

allowed them to suffer at the end,

and I now have room in my home

to give another pet a good life.

A mistake I have often seen people

make, however, is wanting to

adopt a pet from a shelter, because

‘it looks just like Rover’ (or Fluffy or

whatever the case may be). This is

not something I would advise, as

it is unfair to place the expectation

on a new pet coming into the

house that it will be as wonderful

as the pet they have lost.

Just as the humans in the house

must be given the support to

grieve the loss of their loved

family member, so must the

other animals in the home. Dogs,

particularly, seem to feel the loss

of their companion and must feel

some confusion at what is often

a sudden disappearance. If the dog

does show signs of fretting, it’s

important to keep the household

routines as normal as possible,

and give the remaining dog

a little more time and attention

while he works through it. I had

one cat that was particularly fond

of our old dog that lived to 18.5

years. When the dog passed on,

the cat curled his feet under his

body and barely moved from

the end of my bed for 2 weeks.

There was no doubt that his world

had suddenly changed, and he

certainly grieved the loss of his

friend. On the other hand, I have

also known dogs who not only do

not appear to grieve, but in fact

seem to feel some relief, especially

pet death issues


by LORRAINE HAMILTON

PHOTO: WALLY R.I.P.

if the relationship has been

a little strained with competition

for status in the household.

Often parents will attempt to

protect their children from the

reality of the pet dying. However,

just as having pets in the home

is a wonderful way for children

to learn about responsibility and

caring for another being, so too

can they learn valuable lessons

about life, the concept of death

and grief. Parents may help the

children to understand their

feelings by reassuring them that

it is normal to feel sad at the loss

of a pet. Planting a special tree or

shrub in memory, making a special

photo album to remember all

the wonderful times they have

had, having a little burial service

or scattering of the ashes may

all help, but most of all, parents

can show their children that

they themselves are grieving

the loss, and that it is okay and

very normal to shed tears.

There are websites dedicated

to pet loss these days, and a

reasonably new one is

www.ourwonderfulpets.com

Lorraine Hamilton,

Manager of RSPCA

Launceston, Tasmania

P E T D E A T H I S S U E SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


the euthanasia processThis is such a painful time for the pet owner with decisions and processes to work through. Hopefully this short outline will help you prepare for this stage of responsible pet ownership.

Definition of euthanasia: “Animal euthanasia (Greek meaning “good death”) is the act of putting to death painlessly

or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, esp. a painful,

disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress.”Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_euthanasia

Before the euthanasia

The TOUGHEST decision of all is deciding that the ‘time has come’. How do you know? Talk to your vet about this, discuss it with ‘dog-friends’ and watch your pet. (A short check-list included in this outline).

Once you have decided that the it’s time, you need to consider:

◗ Do you want to be present with the pet or not. Don’t feel you HAVE to. If it is too stressful for you, then it is probably less stressful for your pet and the vet staff if you are not present.

◗ Do you want other family members present during the procedure. Check that this is okay with the vet staff.

◗ Where do you want the euthanasia performed. At your home or at the veterinary practice.

◗ Sort out payment prior to the procedure.

◗ You may be asked for your pet’s weight (so they can adjust medication quantities).

◗ There may be a consent form for you to sign before your vet will proceed.

◗ Make a decision about cremation or burial of the body. Many veterinary hospitals work with companies that can arrange for individual cremation (and, in some cases, burial). Some owners may choose community cremation (sometimes called group or mass cremation). In both cases, the company will pick up your dog’s remains directly from the vet hospital. Alternatively, you may wish to bring your dog’s remains home so you can handle aftercare on their own.

◗ Backyard burials need to be thought through. They need to be deep enough so that the remains are not disturbed. Obviously if the premises are rented or for apartment occupants, these options are not available. Also, keep in mind that in the ACT there are service easements that run through properties. Check the service plans prior to digging.

During the euthanasia

◗ Take time to say goodbye. Generally, dogs live in

the moment so keep things as ‘jolly’ as possible.

You know how good your pet is at picking up your

feelings.

◗ Your vet might prefer to administer a sedative to your

dog prior to administering the actual euthanasia

solution. This will allow your pet to be extremely

relaxed and sleepy before the next step. It also

mitigates in the animal any tendency for spasms and

involuntary movements – such as leg jerks and eye

twitches.

◗ Brace yourself for the next steps as the procedure is

generally very, very quick.

◗ In dogs and cats, euthanasia typically involves the

intravenous injection of a solution of pharmaceutical

agents that will quickly stop the heart. In most cases,

this solution is predominantly made up of a very high

dose of pentobarbital or sodium thiopental, though

some euthanasia solutions also contain phenytoin.

The solution is coloured (green, pink or a purple

tint).

◗ Generally, the most effective way to administer the

solution is through a vein, usually in one of the front

legs. Injection into a body cavity will work, but not as

quickly. The euthanasia solution is then injected into

your pet’s vein, where it rapidly travels throughout

the body.

◗ Within just a few seconds, your dog will become

unconscious, experiencing no pain or suffering.

Breathing will slow down and then stop over the

next several seconds. Cardiac arrest will soon follow,

resulting in death. Typically, death occurs within

30 seconds of intravenous administration.

◗ Your pet’s legs may jerk and twitch. There may be

a couple of exhalations and the pet may urinate

or defecate. Do not be concerned if you witness

these actions as the pet has died, it is not a sign of

suffering.

After the euthanasia

◗ Once the solution has been fully administered, your

vet will listen to your dog’s heart to confirm death.

They will let you know that your dog has passed on.

◗ Sometimes the vet may check the pet’s eyes for the

presence of reflex as well.

◗ At this time, your vet will probably step out of the room

to give you a few moments alone with your dog. Stay

as short or as long as you are comfortable with.

◗ If you are not taking your pet with you, after you

leave your pet will be placed in a tough plastic bag

which will be sealed. The body will then be moved

to a refrigerated area until the burial or cremation is

undertaken.

Grieving the loss of your pet

Grief is different for everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Remember the good times you had with your dog. You may want to memorialise your unique and much-loved pal in your own individual way.

You can never replace the pet you had, but new rewarding and positive experiences await you – when you are ready.

T H E E U T H A N A S I A P R O C E S SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E


PHO

TO: L

IZZ

IE R

.I.P.

If you feel your pet’s health is declining then don’t ignore it, observe your pet, talk to your vet and make some decisions based on the information you have gathered. The following should be viewed as a guide for this observation process; not an exhaustive list. Most importantly though, talk to (and listen to) your vet.

Observation check list

• Does your pet seem irritable,

restless or confused?

• Has your pet lost its appetite or is

it drink water excessively?

• Are favorite activities being avoided?

• Is the pet immobile?

• Can your pet clean itself?

• Monitor incontinence.

• Is your pet picked on by other animals

in the home? This can happen when

a sick or elderly dog becomes weak.

• Does your pet frequently stare into space

or remain motionless in corners and is not

easily distracted from this behaviour?

• Has your pet gone to unusual

places to sleep or hide?

How can I tell if my pet is in pain?

• Excessive panting or gasping for breath

• Excessive licking at an area of the body

• A hunched spine

• Whimpering

• Trembling body

• Snappy when touched

• Reclusiveness

• Reluctance to move

• Food pickiness

If you’re unsure of how much your pet is suffering, keep a daily record of good days and bad days. It’s also important to ask your vet for the exact signs of suffering likely to be associated with your pet’s condition or disease. A scale-based document can be found at www.homevet.com/petcare/

documents/quality.pdf

Thank you to all vets and vet staff

Did you know that a study in the Australian Veterinary Journal published by Wiley-Blackwell found that vets are four times more likely to commit suicide as compared to the general adult population? Given the heart-wrenching tasks they perform for us, this sad statistic is believable.

I take this opportunity to offer a grateful acknowledgement to ALL vets AND veterinary staff. They make it possible for us to end our dear companions’ suffering in an humane way. A global thank you to them on behalf of all animal owners.

Sources: www.petsatpeace.com.au/faqswww.dlook.com.au/pet-burial-and-cremations/act-southeastern-gearys-gap/canberra-pet-cemetery-304864www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20082404-17228.htmlwww.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/105081.phpPatricia McConnell in her book ‘The other end of the Leash’, p.216 gives an account of the end of life decision.


T H E E U T H A N A S I A P R O C E S SC O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S P A G E

pet health checklist

Financial members this is your space. You are entitled to place advertisements for free. Just email your requests directly to the editor: [email protected]

THANK YOU BDOC INSTRUCTORS – WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!A huge thank you to all our instructors for giving up your time in Session 3, 2011

Thank you to: Michelle Abramovic, Jodie Boyd, Barbara Brown, Cliff Brock,

Gary Campbell, Meryl Causebrook, Elan Chesher, Lyn Clyde, Jenny Drake,

Sally Druhan, Charlie Giles, Ange Gintings, Angela Hagedorn, Niccola

Hardaker, Patricia Looker, Ross Miller, Gabrielle Myer, Cheryl Neal, Emma

Osborn, Caroline Shrives, Laura Jane Smith, Suzanne van Strien, Jenny

Thistleton, Dai Thomas, Kate Whackett, Peter White, Geoff Woodman.

Special thanks to all the class assistants also!

HOME DELIVERY OFFERIf you would like to have the bdoc newsletter ‘home delivered’, just make the editor aware of your email address by contacting [email protected]

websitesListed below are a few sites of interest. It would be great if readers could send in links to sites they like so we can share them. Email your contributions to [email protected]

MEN IN TRAININGKamal Fernandez http://brodyandco.blogspot.com/2010/06/obedience-seminar-kamal-fernandez.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYcO9YkWy00

AGILITYhttp://susangarrettdogagility.com/2011/08/the-possibilities-in-dog-training/

PUBLICATIONS http://www.dogwise.com

PHOTOS www.furfamilyphotos.com.au/html/event_photos.html

FACEBOOKhttp://www.facebook.com/AussiePoochMobileWestBelconnen

YOUTUBEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=P9Fyey4D5hg

ANKC RULE CHANGEShttp://www.ankc.org.au/Rules.aspx

DOG OFF LEASH AREAS CANBERRAhttp://www.domesticanimals.act.gov.au/Home.htm

REWARDS BASED TRAININGhttp://pawprintspettraining.com.au/2011/02/focus-workshop-with-sue-hogben/

http://sciencedawg.posterous.com/effectiveness-of-aversive-v-reward-based-trai

FLYBALL NEWSLETTERhttp://www.flyball.org.au/FlyingTimes/documents/67FlyingTimesDec2010p1.pdf

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE ALERTShttp://www.environment.act.gov.au/water/water_quality/blue-green_algae_monitoring

MEMBER FEATURE PHOTO

Plenty of love on show in this relationship – Sunday morning at BDOC


BDOC instructor Angela’s Pepper turned two this year and got an unexpected birthday present! ‘Can I sleep in it?’

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Lyn helping train one of the beginner flyball dogs at the Interclub training day which raised funds for the RSPCA cupcake appeal

A young dog who had just finished Sunday morning class in Session 3 A flyball participant waiting for a turn

Nice focus Jodi

No Flyball report was supplied for this edition of the newsletter


After class romper stompers. Young dogs having a get together in the play pen at BDOC

Digby being Digby-cute

.

BDOC Session training dates 2011Session 1(8 weeks)

Session 2(8 weeks)

Session 3(8 weeks)

Session 4(8 weeks)

Session 5(8 weeks)

Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday

Week 1 3 Feb 6 Feb 7 April 10 April 16 June 19 June 11 Aug 14 Aug 13 Oct 16 Oct

Week 2 10 Feb 13 Feb 14 April 17 April 23 June 26 June 18 Aug 21 Aug 20 Oct 23 Oct

Week 3 17 Feb 20 Feb 28 April 1 May 30 June 3 July 25 Aug 28 Aug 27 Oct 30 Oct

Week 4 24 Feb 27 Feb 5 May 8 May 7 July 10 July 1 Sept 4 Sept 3 Nov 6 Nov

Week 5 3 Mar 6 Mar 12 May 15 May 14 July 17 July 8 Sept 11 Sept 10 Nov 13 Nov



Week 8AssessmentDay

31 Mar 3 April 2 June 5 June 4 Aug 7 AugThursday 29 SeptemberAssessment night for both Thursday and Sunday classes

Thursday 1 DecenberAssessment day for all, with Club BBQ and Awards

No trainingThursday 10 MarchSunday 13 March

Thursday 21 AprilSunday 24 April

Thursday 9 June Sunday 12 June

Thursday 6 October Sunday 9 October

Public Holidays

Wed 26 Jan (Australia Day)Mon 14 Mar (Canberra Day)

Friday 22 and Monday 25 April (Easter)Monday 25 April (Anzac Day)Tuesday 26 April (as Easter and Anzac on same day)

Monday 13 June (Queens Birthday)

Monday 3 October (Labour Day)Monday 10 October (Family and Community Day)

Session 4 – 2011 Canine Companion and Obedience Trialling classes.

Session 4, 2011 commences on Thursday 11 August and Sunday 14 August 2011.

Assessment day for Session 4, 2011 is Thursday 29 September (for both Thursday and Sunday classes).

The first Beginners class is an intake talk without dogs but for all other classes, you will be training with your dog on these dates

Dates for Agility and Flyball classes are circulated separately to those undertaking these sports.

Documents

president’s note seminar reports dances with dogs cocker ...bdoc.asn.au/files/newsletters/2011/BDOCNewsletter_v04e03.pdf · Corner Flemington Road and Sandford Street Mitchell ACT